The Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America is turning Y2K prom into a fundraiser, blending early-2000s nostalgia with the group’s political mission. The party is set for Friday night at Friendship Auditorium in Los Feliz, where organizers are selling tickets on a pay-what-you-can basis while asking guests to relive the era of low-rise jeans, pop-punk and Lil Jon.
The event runs from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. and includes 2000s R&B and pop-punk, a photo booth, DIY glitter tattoos and a prom king and queen ceremony. Promotional material asks, “Do you hate capitalism but love to dress up?” In another push, organizers invite attendees who miss “the days of grinding with your crush at the school dance to Lil Jon” to come to prom, tying the theme directly to the chapter’s politics and culture-war style branding.
Admission starts with a suggested $15 tier, while higher options reach $40 and beyond. The tickets are otherwise the same regardless of how much a person pays. That setup lets the chapter encourage donations without turning the event into a formal price list, and it gives supporters a way to contribute more if they want to help underwrite the evening. A promotional video also leans into the group’s ideological pitch, asking whether people want to “shake it like a Polaroid picture” with friends who support a free Palestine.
DSA-LA says proceeds will support its work fighting ICE, protecting tenants and workers, electing socialists to office and building what it describes as a city that works for the people. The chapter is keeping costs down by relying heavily on volunteers. Members are handling organizing, coordination, decorations and bartending without pay, while DJs and celebrity chaperones are being drawn from internal contacts or allied local performers who will work for free or at reduced community rates.
The chapter is also paying for some supplies through small internal allotments and out-of-pocket donations. Items such as the photo booth backdrop, glitter-tattoo stations and punch are being covered that way. Friendship Auditorium, a city-owned venue operated by the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, gives the group a cheaper alternative to private Hollywood clubs, which can cost between $10,000 and $35,000 to rent. That lower overhead means more of the money from the Y2K prom can be directed into DSA-LA’s political funds.
